My dad was, before he died, but after he died he came to tell me that I was right after all. Seriously - even sang his favorite hymn to me through a medium - Amazing Grace.
Dad believed that when he died, he would stay in the ground until Jesus came again. I told him no way, and if I was right - would he give me a sign. He said he would, and he did. His spirit was free. He passed away almost 15 years ago, the 1st of June. I still feel him near me many times. In fact, last night, I felt him hug me.
MF, I had a nice chuckle thinking of your dad as that cute little flying spirit in the icon. That is wonderful he was free, and how nice he is still nearby...how special
When I worked in Respiratory Therapy I thought it was interesting that the ones (men actually since women didn't try to convert those around them as the men did...loudly) who were Fundamentalists seemed terrified at the end of their lives. They often begged and cried for help to stay alive and said how scared they were, and I never understood that...I mean if you knew someone was waiting and loving and all, why be terrified to go to him?
I just mentioned that because I didn't understand how a person went from being so confident in his salvation and his god, but when the time came to meet him he was terrified and grabbing my arm to save him. Maybe someone could explain that to me?
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As the saying goes, when a door slams shut in one place a window opens somewhere else. After staring at the door for many years, it finally occured to me to go look for the open window. I discovered I like sunlight and warmth much more than peeling old doors anyway, so I climbed out the window and reveled in my discovery. I will never sit behind a closed door again, no matter how comfortable my chair becomes. Me
Mel, I'm glad you found your own open window and stepped through it.
I'd venture an opinion, but don't want to tick anyone off. All I can say is, the people who cling to organized religion - know why they are there. It is a need of some sort and a hope for salvation - or something like that.
You just don't how hard it is to hold back my feelings on this topic.
My first reaction was "yikes" but realized that wouldn't really answer your question ... so I'll give some speculation. I would imagine these were the people who, at the end of their lives, realized they had really been living quite ungodly lives ....
The people I knew who were secure in their faith and unafraid of dying were the ones who really felt they were OK with God, if that makes sense... although unfortunately for a lot of them that borders on arrogance.
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*~* In Memory of all those I have loved and who have passed on... *~*
Mel (Cherry)
Chely
Diedre
Grandma...
Grandpa...
Grandma E. ...
Grandpa E. ...
Aunt K.
Joshua
Crystal
and Max, Angus, Buttons, Cinders, Nerith, Chance, Mimi, Rufus, and all the others...
I mean ~~~ I've noticed a LOT of Christians who spout off about other people's lives... but then don't follow what their own holy book says in terms of lifestyle choices, etc. You know, they just do what everyone else does - drink, eat crap, watch tv all day, and only care about themselves - while professing to believe in Christ. But these things are really incongruous. And I think on people's death beds... that's where the truth of their lives really hits them. And with other people, while it may manifest as, you know, just regret... I think with Christians there's a tendency for it to be a reaaaly scary time. Because if we're not completely right with God, we fry! Not a really pleasant thought.
That's honestly been THE SINGLE hardest part of the Christian faith for me... although I really feel that God is leading me back (and back and back) into His loving arms... I really struggle with the whole heaven / hell concept.
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*~* In Memory of all those I have loved and who have passed on... *~*
Mel (Cherry)
Chely
Diedre
Grandma...
Grandpa...
Grandma E. ...
Grandpa E. ...
Aunt K.
Joshua
Crystal
and Max, Angus, Buttons, Cinders, Nerith, Chance, Mimi, Rufus, and all the others...
I mean ~~~ I've noticed a LOT of Christians who spout off about other people's lives... but then don't follow what their own holy book says in terms of lifestyle choices, etc. You know, they just do what everyone else does - drink, eat crap, watch tv all day, and only care about themselves - while professing to believe in Christ. But these things are really incongruous. And I think on people's death beds... that's where the truth of their lives really hits them. And with other people, while it may manifest as, you know, just regret... I think with Christians there's a tendency for it to be a reaaaly scary time. Because if we're not completely right with God, we fry! Not a really pleasant thought.
That's honestly been THE SINGLE hardest part of the Christian faith for me... although I really feel that God is leading me back (and back and back) into His loving arms... I really struggle with the whole heaven / hell concept.
AK - I've spent a lifetime studying about religions, interpretations of god, the bible, in fact I was even an ordained minister for a brief while. Been in and out of the church many times.
Finally I had to face the truth that the bible is contrived for the most part. However . . . Jesus was a true master, that part is true. But most of the doom and gloom the church contrived was to control the masses and bring the pagans into the fold. Most of the bible stories are 'borrowed' from even more ancient beliefs. The whole creation story dates much further back to another civilization and was brought along with the christians.
Christs teachings and parables were his way of telling us that we can all have the same power as himself, if only we believed and had faith. He actually denounced the churches and took to the fields to teach, urging us to do greater things than even he had done.
But the famous - you can't get to heaven unless you accept me as your savior - now, do you really think that sounds like something Christ would demand? He had no ego - why would he make such a demand?
If you listen carefully to the words of Jesus Christ, you will maybe be able to discern where the truth leaves off and the lies take over. That is man's ego, twisting the truth to control the people. From before the first de Medici pope, it was about the money - and bringing it to the church.
You might try studying outside of the church, about the church, the history of the bible, the dead sea scrolls, the hamadi scrolls and the gnostic sect, the essenes. Then maybe have a look at ancient belief systems and compare that to the book reputed to be "The Word of God".
The bible is the history of people, full of object lessons, much like Aesop's fables.
He passed away almost 15 years ago, the 1st of June. I still feel him near me many times. In fact, last night, I felt him hug me. 
Are they coming to get me if I admit the recovering part? 
Rachel ~ slight diva, 
, AND rockin' single mama to lil pill. 
Linear Mode
